Electric switch



Feb. 4, 1930. A. M. PHELAN ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 22. 1926 Patented Feb. 4, 1930 '7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOUIS A. m. PHELAN, or ELKHART, mnmna, ASSIGNOB, BY 'mnsn'n ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro 'rmE-o-srer commons comrm, or nnxru nr, mpmna, A. oonronarron or MABYLAN D ELECTRIC SWITCH Application filed December 22, 1928. Serial No. 156,841.

This invention relates to electric switches and it'has special reference to improvements in electrical contact-making devices which comprise a container for enclosing a pair of electrodes or conducting terminals and a compact and coherent body of current-conducting fluid through the agencyof which fluid s'ald electrodes are brought into electrical conducting relation with one another.

One of the objects ofthis invention is to provide a device of the character indicated,

which is capable of reducing to a minimum the amount of current-conducting fluid necessary within the container to bring theelectrodes into electrical conducting relation one with another.

Further objects of this invention wilI be apparent from the description and drawings forming a part of this specification, to which reference may now be had for a more complete understanding of the characteristic features of this invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a sectioiial view of a embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing preferred the device actuated into an extreme position for test purposes.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a further embodiment of this invention; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. K

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the switch or contactor comprises a'container 1 in which two spaced electrodes 2 and 3 are hermetically sealed. The electrodes 2 and 3 are shown as being disposed in spaced relation to each other adjacent one end of the container, and fixed to supporting members 4 and 5. The supporting. members are, in turn, connected to leading-in wires 6 and 7, respectively,

, which provide means for electrically connecting the electrodes 2 and 3 to their respective accessible terminals 8 and 9. A body of mercury 10 is also disposed within the container 1 and serves to bridge the electrodes 2 and 3, thus establishing an electric circuit through the contactor.

The container may, if desired, be made of tainer to a substantiall glass of the quality usually employed in manufacturing incandescent lamp bulbs, etc. When the container is so made, the leading-in wires 6 and 7 are preferably made of a suit-,

. terior of the container, glass shanks 11 and 12 are provided, in which said leading-in wires are embedded.

On the other hand, said container 1 may also be made of p rex, or, if desired, of borosilicate glass. I this type of glass be used, the leading-in wires are preferably made of tungsten, which latter has been found very satisfactory as a sealing-in wire in connection with pyrex and the like.

The supporting members 4 and 5 for the electrodes are connected to their re ective leading-in wires 6 and 7 by means 0 we1d ing, or any other desirable method, and said connections are then embedded in their re-' spective glass shanks. I

The supporting members 4 and 5 in either of the instances mentioned may be made of a non-deteriorating or inert material, such as iron. The electrodes 2 and 3 are likewise made of iron, or'of some allied product of iron, as iron-chromium alloy containin approximately 18% chromium, which has en found to be satisfactory.

In order to maintain the interior of the container 1 inert to the materials entering into the construction of thedevice, the atmospheric air is evacuated from the conhigh degree, and

the container is then led with an inert gas, such as hydrogen, to a pressure prefer- 60 connected to leading-in wires 20 and 21, said severe service conditions.

rior of the container, deterioration .and disintegration of the contactor are greatly reduced when said contactor is subjected to The body of mercury 10 disposed in the container, to bridge the electrodes 2 and 3 should be chemicallypure. Also, in order'to increase the mobility of the mercury to effecta rapid flow backand forth in the container, a small quantity of a solution of hydrocyanic acid, or other compounds of cyanide, may, if desired, be mixed with the mercury. In the operation of the switch, the contactor is tilted slightly in one direction causing the mercury to flow in the same direction and thus bridge the-electrodes 2 and 3, which action establishes an electric circuit through the contactor. In like manner a tilting of the contactor in the opposite direction past a horizontal position will cause the mercury to flow in that direction and break the circuit.

In order to reduce to a minimum the amount of mercury to be used in the container 1, the electrodes 2'and 3 may be disposed substantially at right angles to each other and adjacent one end of the container near the bottom.

thereof. The end of the container in which these electrodes are disposed has a reduced portion 13 provided preferably by an inclined surface 14 extending from the top of the container to the lower rounded portion thereof.- As illustrated by Fig. 2 of the drawings, the test by which the amount of mercury is determined in the container irrespective of the position of the container, resides in placing the container on end and noting that the mercury bridges the electrodes.

It is obvious that by reducing the size of the end portion and by properly positioning the electrodes'therein, a minimum of mercury is required to eflectively bridge the electrodes.

The container in a device of this character may be made in yarious shapes to accommodate any desired positioning of the electrodes, however, said container is here shown with a reduced end in an endeavor to illustrate a simple type of construction, but it will be apparent, of course, to thoseskilled in the art, that such a container could readily and conveniently be produced in a variety of shapes and modifications for embodying thebroad 17 and fixed to the supporting members 18 and 19. The supporting members are in turn connections being made in glass shanks 22 and 23 in which the leading-in wires are embedded. A body of mercury 24 is disposed within the contaiher 15'and serves to bridge ducting the electrodes 16 and 17 and thereby estabelectrode 17 and occupies a substantial -por-- tion of the end of the container in which it is disposed. When tilted on end to determine the amount of mercury necessary by theextreme position of the container, the mercury will assume a position as shown by the dotted line 25. It will be apparent that by providing an electrode 17.0f the character described and which occupies the greater portion of one end of the container, a minimum amount of mercury will be required to bridge the electrodes. r

While but two specific embodiments of this invention are herein shown and described, it is to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to these structures, since various modifications will be'apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, and the same is, therefore, to be limited only by the scope of'the appended claims and the prior art.

I claim:

The electrode 16 is also of 1 1. An electrical ,contactor comprising a sealed container having a reduced portion, electrodes sealed within said container,-a compact and coherent body of electrical conducting fiuid within said container and adapted to bridge said electrodes when in one osition, said electrodes being positioned adacent said reduced portion, said reduced portion being provided by an inclined surface extending from the top of said container to a lower rounded portion thereof, and said electrodes being positioned adjacent said inclined surface and within said lower rounded portion to reduce to a minimum the amount of'said electrical conducting fluid required.

2. An electrical contactor comprising a sealed container having a reduced portion, electrodes sealed within said container, a compact and coherent bod of electrical con-' fluid within said container and adapted to bridge said electrodes when in one position, said electrodes being ositioned adjacent said reduced portion, sai reduced ortion being provided with an inclined sur ace extending from the top of said container to a lower rounded portion thereof, and-one of said electrodes being positioned adjacent said inclined surface and within said lower rounded portion to reduce to a minimum the amount of said electrical conducting fluid required.

3. An electrical contactor comprising a sealed container having a rounded end, electrodes sealed within said container, and a compact. and coherent body of electrical con- "ducting fluid within said container, one of said electrodes being enlarged and substantially disc shaped and having a surface of a like contour with that of the rounded end of said container, said latter electrode to occupy a substantial portion of said rounded end to reduce to a minimum the amount of said electrical conducting fluid required.

4. An electrical switch comprising an elongated cylindrically-shaped container that is adapted to be tilted to circuit opening and circuit closing positions by tilting about a centrally disposed horizontal transverse axis, said container having a portion thereof provided with'a reduced cross sectional area, enlarged headed electrodes sealed within said container, and a compact and coherent body of electrical conducting fluid in said container and adapted to brid e the electrodes when the container is tilte the ends of said electrodes being spaced from each other longitudinally of said container and in proximity to the end portion of said container and the enlarged head of at least one of said electrodes being disposed in said portion of the container area.

5. An electrical contactor comprising a sealed elongated cylindrically-shaped container that is adapted to be tilted to circuit opening and circuit closing positions by rotating about a centrally disposed horizontal transverse axis, said container having a deformed portion to reduce thereat its cross sechaving the reduced cross-sectional tional area, electrodes sealed within said container, and a body of conducting fluid within said container for bridging said electrodes when the container is tilted in one direction about its tilting axis said electrodes being spaced from each othei longitudinally of said container and occupying positions within said deformed portion thereof to reduce to a minimum the amount of conducting fluid required to bridge said electrodes.

6. An electrical contactor comprising a sealed elongated cylindrically-shaped container that is adapted opening and circuitclosing positions by rotating about .a. centrally disposed horizontal transverse axis, said container having a deformed portion to reduce'thereat its cross sectional area, electrodes sealed within said contamer, and a body of conducting fluid within said container for bridging said electrodes when the container is tilted in one direction about itstilting axis, saidelectrodes being from each other longitudinally of said container and'at least one of said enlarged heads I being positioned within said deformed portion to minimize the amount of conducting fluid required to bridge'said electrodes.

7. An electrical contactor comprising a to be tilted to circuit j sealed elongated cylindrically-shaped con tainer that is adapted to be tilted to circuit opening and circuit closing positions by rotat-ing about a centrally disposed horizontal transverse axis, said container having a deformed portion to reduce thereat its cross sectional area, electrodes sealed within said container, and a body of conducting fluid within said container for bridging said electrodes when the container is tilted in one direction about its tilting axis, said electrodes having enlarged heads that are spaced from each other longitudinally of said container and which occupy 'a substantial portion of said reduced portion of said container to minimize the quantity of conducting fluid required to bridge said electrodes.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ouis A. M. PHELAN.

enlarged heads that are spaced I 

